He Was Dead She Just Died
by TomatoBisque
Summary: ‘Sometimes I wish I was the rain...’ Naruto loves Sakura. She always knew that. What she didn't know was that she loved him back, until it was far too late. ‘Drip, drip, drip, I would fall and drench the world...’ SakuNaruSaku
1. The Ending

Naruto Sakura

Naruto Sakura. Sakura POV.

--

'_Sometimes I wish I was the rain..._'

Its endless downpour captured her, drenching her entire boy, her_ entire soul_, in its cold grip. Her skin, paled from bitter cold, was clammy and wet. Her eyes were empty – the pain that once filled them replaced by numbness.

She watched as the rain pounded on the street below her, endless silver ripples cascading in front of her eyes from where the water hit puddles. Each step she took was one toward nothingness. She was going nowhere; more so that she had nowhere to go. Her forehead began to heat up, and sweat along with rain and tears dripped from her brow and face.

A ragged looking shed was now in front of her, the rain droplets glittering in the deep green moss and mold growing in the shingles of the low roof.

'_Drip, drip, drip, I would fall and drench the world..._'

The water looked so pure, as it ran down the walls of the shack, the small, innocent drops forming a small sphere, hanging on to the edge until gravity overcame it and it fell, _it fell to the ground _to become nothing more than dirty water. She watched as each small orb of purity struggled to stay up, and then fell so easily. The weight of the world seemed to let nothing stay untainted.

She glanced down, her eyes glazed over, and she gripped her left arm as tightly as her weak hand would allow, and watched the muddy water run through her toes and down the street; the dark and light colors of mud mixing and swirling around her feet, a spiral of fresh and filth.

'_And I would be able to touch every person, to feel their sorrows and pain..._'

Despite her sea-foam green eyes, her cherry hair, she was nothing more than the muddy water on the street. She sat down, the cold overwhelming her. She leaned against the shack, shivering uncontrollably, crying, coughing, screaming into the rain. Because the rain was the only one who would listen. She did it until she had nothing left. And her green eyes glazed over, and she just gazed into the rain, unable to move.

She wasn't cold anymore. She couldn't feel her hands or toes, her mind was somewhere else. _Death_. Death wasn't cold. It was nothingness. She didn't want to be cold anymore. _Drip, drip, drip_. The pure orbs were sliding from her hair down her face. From her eyes to her neck. _Drip, drip, drip_. The blood was oozing out of her side, sliding down her cheek. Smeared with sweat and tears, and _the rain_.

Her thoughts clouded with eyes as blue as the water, hair as light as the sun, a white, reassuring grin. _His blood all over her; his eyes pleading for her to save him_.

'_I want to know that the rest of the world is sad, too, so I know I'm not the only one feeling this way_...'

She couldn't see the rain anymore. She couldn't feel the cold anymore. Her eyes lost their life, as she sat against the small shed. Her breathing slowed. _I'm warm_...The blood mixed into the mud, swirling along its journey into the ground.

'_I want to be the rain, because the rain is pure, and I am not. Even my reasons for wanting to be the rain are impure. I just want everyone as sad as I am..._'

"I loved you, Naruto."

'_I love you, Sakura..._' He was dead.

She just died.

--

Ah, Naruto and Sakura, yikes.


	2. The Forest

Okay

Okay. Here we go. First real chapter. The prologue was a foreshadow, by the way XD. This chapter is perhaps...a bit happier than the last lol.

--

Sakura couldn't sleep.

Or more so, she didn't want to. The gentle spring breeze eased in through her open window, and she gazed out into the starry sky, thinking of the mission in she had to get up for in a few hours while listening to the distant croaking of frogs. She realized that sleep would not come to her tonight, but it didn't bother her – of course she would regret not forcing herself to succumb to slumber for at least an hour when she was low on chakra tomorrow, but at that moment it didn't matter.

The shadows in her room were inky azure and grey, because tonight the moon was out. Long shadows stretched from her nightstand, but she wasn't looking anywhere within her room. Her stunning green eyes, now a paler color because of the dark, were glued to the bright, silver sphere in the sky. She could almost imagine it beginning to slip and fall out of the heavens, like a sparkling, diamond tear.

The croaking of the frogs, which was once distant to her ears, now seemed louder. Sakura began to snap out of her daydream about the moon, and turned her attention to the slow, wheezing breathing of Tonton the pig, who lay curled underneath the arch of Sakura's legs. The warmth of the small animal contrasted to the cooling air from outside on Sakura's face, and it was quite a pleasing feeling.

She reclined against her wall, her pillow cast against her arm. Despite her sunny exterior, she truly loved the dark. She felt as if she was draped in a cool, blue essence each time night set. Clear, bright, moon-lit nights like these – Sakura could never sleep. It was if the silver lunar light that the moon cast set a spell on Sakura. Beauty, grace, harmony and peace. Sakura looked up to the moon, and not always in a literal way.

"Naruto..." she sighed. The frustration in her voice showed as she slowly tilted her head down from the moon to the trees and buildings it reflected off.

She was thinking about him again.

It had to be at least three or four in the morning, and she still couldn't get him off of her mind. It was at times like these when she wished that she was like Sai – rid of bothersome emotions. Ever since she saw; ever since she had _felt_ the chakra of the Kyuubi...something was different about him. All of it had seemed like a distant dream, _Naruto is a Jinchuuriki, he carries the nine tails_; it was textbook stuff, nothing she would ever experience. When she was told, by Naruto himself, that it was he that the Kyuubi resided in, she just digested the information like it was nothing.

'_Sakura, you stupid girl, why do you worry about things you can't change?'_

A whiff of the scent of spring blossoms blew under Sakura's nose, and it was enough to snap her out of her memories. Her eyes fluttered to the window, and she saw a line of pink rising over the tree line.

Morning.

--

"Morning, Sakura," Kakashi smiled as he walked up the wooden planks of the bridge. Or he may have even frowned, but Sakura would never be able to tell.

"Good morning, sensei," she blandly returned. She yawned, tears pricking at the corner of her eyes, and slipped on her gloves. Kakashi glanced up from his book to look at her – he quickly assessed and turned his attention back to his smutty novel.

The morning air was cool, and the sun was bright. It was a fine morning for a mission, but Sakura would rather have been working at the hospital that day. She leaned against the bridge, gazing at the sparkling creek below her. She smiled.

"Sensei, you're on time today," she said quietly.

"It seems so," he replied after some time. A silence thick with separate thoughts overcame the two as they waited for the rest of their team members. Sakura's mind kept flicking back to the heat of that red chakra, the rumble of Naruto's voice, _the roar of a demon stronger than imaginable_...

"I'm late, my apologies." A smooth, deep voice interrupted Sakura's thoughts, and she slowly turned to smile at Sai.

"Looks like we're just waiting on Naruto, then," Kakashi said, without looking up from his book. "Not exactly _his_ nature to be unpunctual."

Sai's cool eyes took a fleeting look up and down Sakura's body, pausing briefly at her stomach. Sakura flinched at his cold gaze. He walked towards her and leaned his back against the bridge, his elbows casually rested on the railing. His eyes were squinted from the sunlight, and his gaze was forward on the water.

Sakura couldn't help but feel intimidated and awkward around Sai. Sure, she was as nice as she could be, but even though Sai seemed to be making great strides in understanding emotions, he was still cold. He was still creepy. And he was still almost too great a ninja for her to trust.

"You seem to be looking ill," he said, his voice deep, yet quiet.

"Just been tired lately," she said loudly, laughing and smiling.

"Perhaps you shouldn't be doing missions right now."

Sakura flinched once again at his icy, stern tone.

"No, no, Sai, it's nothing serio-"

"I'm here!" A flash of orange and blonde was before them, and Sakura almost collapsed in relief. She wasn't sure what was making her so anxious, but she felt much better with Naruto around. It seemed that the only way to stop thinking about him was with him in her presence.

When she knew he was safe. _When she knew he was still Naruto_.

Naruto's cerulean gaze met Sakura's spring green one, and for a brief moment, a smile tugged at his lips. His white teeth with slightly pointed canines, his strong jaw-line and tanned skin with three scars on each side of his face, the white scar tissue contrasting with his dark tone, his brilliant blue eyes and messy blonde hair; _everything_. It burned through her.

"Good morning, Sakura!" he smiled brightly, scratching his neck. "...Sai," he said, not so happily.

Kakashi glanced up and returned Naruto's mischievous smile with a happy look. "Welcome," he said cheerfully. "Alright, kids, gather round."

Kakashi's black eye flitted back and forth between the three shinobi in front of him. He noted Naruto's look of uncertainty, and Sakura's obvious exhaustion. He saw that Sai was unusually quiet, even for him, and today he did not even bother to smile.

"I have my own mission today, so this one is just for the three of you. Enjoy your bonding time; you'll be having a lot of it."

Naruto let out a noticeable groan. Kakashi ignored it.

"Tonton's missing from Sakura's house; you guys have to find it."

"Are you _kidding_ me?!" Naruto screeched. He stomped his foot, "What kind of mission is that? We're not little genin anymore."

"Naruto, aren't_ you_ a genin?" Sai asked coolly.

Sakura stood between the two ninja, each of her hands on their chests, holding them apart. She gave Kakashi a concerned, yet irritated look.

"Don't you think I would be the first to know if Tonton was missing?" she questioned. Kakashi shrugged.

"Well he was there this morning," she frowned. "And for once Naruto's right, this really isn't the type of mission for our level."

"Perhaps your home is the first one that should be searched, Sakura. Adios, kiddies." Kakashi held his hand up in farewell, and was gone in a cloud of smoke.

Sakura frowned and turned towards a fuming Naruto. He hmphed and narrowed his eyes toward Sai, who in turn smiled. Sometimes Sakura wished that her teammates would get along better. She squinted from the bright sunlight; today was going to be hot. It was a sure sign that summer in Konoha was just around the corner. Even the cherry blossoms were beginning to turn green.

The trio began walking at a slow pace throughout the village, making their way through bustling shoppers, taking in the familiar smells of food and the noises of children laughing and people shouting out, trying to sell their products.

The early morning rush was hard to get through. Sakura, Sai and Naruto were nearly _forced_ to stop and purchase sea salt pops; the heat of the day was beginning to set, even in the in the early hours. Sakura bought everyone's treat, and they were soon on their way, making it only past three more districts before buying another three popsicles.

"It's not even close to noon, and it's so hot!" Sakura sighed; chucking her popsicle stick into a trash can as the three of them walked by. "Sai, you're lucky to be wearing a shirt like that."

Truthfully, Sakura wanted to jump into a river, sans clothes. She cared much about Tonton, but the mission didn't make sense, and the more she pondered it, the more she felt like it was ridiculous.

"Sakura, I'm leaving my jacket at your house...too hot to carry around with me," Naruto huffed.

"These icy treats are very sweet and refreshing," Sai said quietly. "Is this an emotion?"

Sakura turned her head, pausing, and then smiling at Sai. "Yes, you're probably feeling pleasure from the sweet taste, and relief because the treat is cold and it's a hot day."

"Interesting," he replied after a moment of thought.

Sakura pulled her house key out of her pocket and slid the key into the door of her home. She lived in a moderate sized building, close to many shops and markets. It was three stories high, and had three bedrooms, and was attached to a series of homes built in the same way in the same building. The three of them stepped into her small kitchen and slipped off their sandals. Naruto unzipped his jacket and pulled it off, and Sakura frowned.

Tonton didn't come to visit her at the doorway, like he normally did.

"Tonton! Come here, boy!" Sakura called as she walked up the stairs. "Tonton!"

"Oi, pig!" Naruto yelled, not so kindly. Sai made his way up the stairs and into a bedroom, checking in the closet and under the bed. Naruto checked the bathroom, Sakura check the attic. After an hour of solid searching, and listening to Naruto's chain of swearing, the three met up in the kitchen and each had a glass of water.

"He's not here," Sakura verified, sighing as she lay down her glass.

"I suppose that means we have no other choice but to rip apart Konoha," Naruto smiled. "I just wish it wasn't so hot outside!"

--

The forest surrounding the village of Konoha was large, leafy, thick and full of hiding places. Every shop, home, building, street, business, restaurant, market and school of the village hidden in the leaves was searched thoroughly for Tonton, and there was absolutely no trace. This mission was beginning to seem nothing less than bizarre.

"Looks like this is the last place to look," Naruto said. It was now mid afternoon, and the entire day was spent searching for the pig. It was as if it vanished without a trace.

Sakura had changed into a white tank top, shorts and regular sandals instead of her boots. Naruto had taken off his headband, had his pants rolled up to just below his knees, and Sai had deigned to take off his headband also. It would've been no less than uncomfortable to wear a headband on a hot day.

"Let's split up," Sai suggested. "We'll cover more area that way. I'll go north."

"Sakura and I will go south west together, and then I'll take west and she'll take east, and then we'll meet up on the other side of the village," Naruto agreed.

Sai nodded, and then took off, and Sakura and Naruto began walking the opposite way. On usual terms, being around Sai was uncomfortable for Sakura. But now, he seemed to protect her from thinking too much about Naruto. It was hell for her to look at his face and see a monster.

Was she turning into the kind of person Naruto grew up hating? Was she any different?

Naruto took a sip out of his water bottle and poured some over his head, shaking off the water like a dog and getting Sakura wet. She giggled, and Naruto smiled and apologized.

"You look thirsty, Sakura. I bet it's because I'm so sexy," he grinned.

"It's because it's ridiculously hot outside, idiot!" she yelled back, snatching Naruto's water bottle from his hand and bonking him over the head with it. She smiled. She loved this.

But it didn't stop the empty feeling inside.

Tonton wasn't anywhere in sight. Why was a team of an ANBU, a Chunin and a Jonin level Genin searching for the Hokage's pet? D rank. _D rank_. Nowhere should 'Chunin' and 'D-rank' be stuck together.

"Looks like I'd better start heading the other way, now. Bye, Sakura!" Naruto leaned in close to his friend, his sure grin plastered across his face, "Don't worry, we'll find that pig."

Four hours later, the day stretched into night, and the sky turned pink and coral. The trees were dark and vision in the forest was limited. Sakura's patience was at an all time low. She was sweaty, irritated, tired, depressed, she missed Tonton and she hated the fact that she had no clue what was going on. Not to mention that she was alone in the middle of a forest in a land known for its many leaves.

She stood up, slapped her hands on her shirt and turned around, trekking back the way she came, ignoring the sharp stinging of thorns being brushed along her bare ankles. This was ridiculous. She was planning her interrogation to Tsunade as she stomped through the brush, grumbling to herself, blowing her bangs out of her face. She had mud and leaves stuck in her hair, and she was positive that her scent wasn't anything close to flowers at that moment. It was getting fairly dark out, and in another half an hour, it would be pitch black in the forest. She had thirty short minutes of light to make to the village; otherwise she may be forced to spend the night in the ditch.

She stopped. '_Jingle, jingle, jingle._' She heard a distinct ringing. She couldn't tell if it was in her ears, or if it was from something else. Did Tonton wear anything that rang? Slowly bending her knees, she knelt down, gently placing her hands on the ground. '_Jingle, jingle, jingle_.'

Again. She held her breath. Her green eyes flitted back and forth, scanning searching. She couldn't find it. Where the hell was it? _Right, left, above...below?_ It couldn't be below, the earth doesn't ring.

She glanced to her right, and her eyes connected with a pair of red ones.

--

Alright, we got some character introductions, some foreshadowing, some unanswered questions, and a mysteriously missing Tonton. I think this chapter has everything it needs.

XD.


End file.
